Cryptonomicon

During World War II, young mathematical genius Lawrence Waterhouse participates in the breaking of German cipher systems. In our time, his grandson Randy, a computer hacker, helps build an autonomous "data haven" in Southeast Asia. The grandson's fate is linked to his grandfather's work, with an international conspiracy that may bring the world under a new totalitarianism. Sometimes humorous, densely packed with information on a variety of topics, from cryptanalysis and hacking to treasure hunting, this novel is a true contemporary epic. On one hand, it is an amazing, completely original portrait of a wartime era. On the other, it is a provocative reflection on how science and technology help to shape—and change—the course of human history. A work of great erudition and equally great creative power, it is—and will remain—one of the significant literary achievements of the modern era.